Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections
Lower Court: Unknown • Last updated: January 14, 2026
Plain-Language Summary
The Supreme Court decided Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections, a case about whether states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. Illinois law allows election officials to count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within two weeks afterward. Congressman Michael Bost and two other candidates sued, claiming this practice violates federal statutes that set Election Day as the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Chief Justice Roberts authored the opinion addressing whether federal law's establishment of a single Election Day prohibits states from accepting and counting ballots that arrive in the mail after that date. The Seventh Circuit had dismissed the case, finding the plaintiffs lacked standing.
Why This Matters
This decision has direct implications for how elections are conducted across the country. Many states allow mail-in ballots to be counted if postmarked by Election Day even if they arrive later. The ruling affects the voting rights of millions of Americans who rely on mail-in voting and could reshape state election administration practices nationwide.